Article Four of the Constitution of Puerto Rico

Article Four of the Constitution of Puerto Rico describes the powers, structure, functions, responsibilities, and legal scope of the Governor of Puerto Rico, the executive branch of the government of Puerto Rico.^[1] The article establishes the term length of the governor and the requirements to hold such post, as well as establishing the governor as commander-in-chief of the militia, namely the Puerto Rico National Guard.^[2] It also establishes that the governor must present a State of the State address to the Legislative Assembly each year, as well as a report on the Budget of the Government of Puerto Rico.^[2]

The article also establishes the Council of Secretaries, and that all secretaries must be appointed with the advice and consent from the Senate of Puerto Rico, except for the Secretary of State which requires the advice and consent of the House of Representatives as well.^[3]

Article Four also established several executive departments, namely the departments of Agriculture and Commerce, Education, Health, Justice, Labor, State, Public Works, and Treasury.^[4] The Department of Agriculture and Commerce was later renamed to the Department of Agriculture, while several decades later the Department of Commerce and Economic Development was created by extraconstitutional law.

The article also established the first steps towards the Puerto Rico governmental line of succession, establishing the Secretary of State as first in line of succession.^[5]

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